Meet Our Founder
Michael Cunningham
Founder & Director, 9Trees CIC
"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today. But planting trees alone isn't enough – we need to restore biodiversity, create meaningful countryside jobs, reconnect people with nature and inspire thousands of others to take action."
A Life Dedicated to Nature
Long before founding 9Trees, Michael Cunningham had already built a career around protecting landscapes, restoring habitats and connecting people with the natural world.
Over the last two decades he has worked across conservation, habitat management, tourism and environmental education, gaining experience with organisations including the Environment Agency, the RSPB and Green Mantle. He also represented Wales for A Focus on Nature, helping to give young conservationists a stronger voice within the environmental sector.
In 2012, Michael founded the not-for-profit organisation Natural Mid Wales to promote sustainable tourism, conservation and community projects across the region. At the same time, he became one of the youngest board members of Tourist Partnership Mid Wales, supporting the growth of rural businesses and sustainable destinations.
Between 2009 and 2015 he managed the award-winning Erwood Station Craft Centre & Gallery on the banks of the River Wye. During those years he learned first-hand how communities, local businesses, tourism and the natural environment could thrive together when people shared a common purpose.
Those experiences shaped the vision that would later become 9Trees.
Turning Climate Anxiety into Climate Action
Like many people working in conservation, Michael became increasingly concerned about the accelerating climate and biodiversity crises.
Rather than feeling overwhelmed, he asked a simple question:
"What practical action could anyone take today that would make a genuine difference?"
The answer became 9Trees.
The original idea was remarkably simple.
If every person in the UK planted or sponsored nine native trees every year, together we could remove millions of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere whilst restoring wildlife habitats across Britain.
But the vision quickly grew into something much bigger.
Michael realised that woodland creation should never be measured purely by the number of trees planted.
Instead, every project should deliver multiple long-term benefits for people, wildlife and local communities.
That philosophy continues to guide every woodland created by 9Trees today.
More Than Planting Trees
From the very beginning, 9Trees was designed to be different.
Rather than planting trees and walking away, every woodland is planned with biodiversity at its heart and managed for up to fifty years.
Every site is carefully designed using native broadleaf species suited to the landscape, local soils and surrounding habitats.
The aim is not simply to store carbon, but to create thriving ecosystems that support birds, mammals, insects, fungi and plants for generations to come.
Just as importantly, every woodland is an opportunity to create lasting social value.
Through volunteering, education, practical conservation and countryside employment, 9Trees helps people reconnect with nature while developing valuable environmental skills.
Michael believes that successful woodland creation should leave behind healthier habitats, stronger communities and a new generation of environmental leaders.
Building a Movement
Since launching in 2019, 9Trees has grown from a simple idea into a national community interest company working with:
Businesses investing in biodiversity and climate action
Private landowners creating new native woodlands
Local authorities
Schools and universities
Community organisations
Volunteers from across the UK
Thousands of individual tree sponsors
Together they are creating native woodland projects across England and Wales that are carefully designed, planted, monitored and managed for decades to come.
Every woodland tells a story of partnership, collaboration and hope.
Woodland Creation with Purpose
Michael has always believed that nature recovery cannot be achieved by any one organisation acting alone.
It requires businesses, landowners, local communities, volunteers and conservation professionals working together.
That belief has shaped every aspect of 9Trees.
Today the organisation works not only to restore woodlands, but also to:
Increase biodiversity
Improve ecological resilience
Support pollinators and woodland wildlife
Improve soil and water quality
Reduce flood risk through natural solutions
Support rural economies
Create meaningful volunteering opportunities
Inspire future conservation professionals
Help organisations achieve measurable environmental impact
Every project is designed to leave the landscape in a better condition than it was before.
National Recognition
The work of Michael and the wider 9Trees team has received recognition across the UK.
Recent achievements include:
FSB Wales Sustainability Award Winner
FSB Wales Micro Business of the Year
National FSB 50th Anniversary Award
Natural Environment Award
Earthshot Prize nomination through Conservation Optimism
These awards recognise not simply the number of trees planted, but the wider impact of 9Trees in biodiversity recovery, community engagement, countryside employment and climate action.
For Michael, however, the greatest achievement remains seeing volunteers, businesses and landowners working together to create woodlands that future generations will enjoy.
Looking Ahead
Michael's ambition is simple.
To create a connected network of thriving native woodlands stretching from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands, restoring biodiversity while helping thousands of people play an active role in nature recovery.
Every new woodland demonstrates that climate action does not have to be complicated.
It begins with people choosing to make a difference.
Whether you sponsor a tree, volunteer for a woodland management day, partner with us as a business or offer land for planting, you become part of something much bigger than a single project.
Together we are creating places where wildlife can flourish, communities can reconnect with nature and future generations can inherit healthier, richer landscapes.
A Message from Michael
"When people think about tree planting, they often think about carbon. Carbon is important, but trees are about so much more than that.
They clean our water, protect our soils, reduce flooding, provide homes for wildlife, improve our mental wellbeing and create meaningful jobs in rural communities.
Every woodland we create is an investment in people as much as nature.
If we can inspire thousands of individuals, businesses and landowners to work together, we can leave behind a greener, more resilient Britain for generations to come."